A bid to provide more free car parking space to relieve congestion on streets near the new Grange-over-Sands swimming pool has failed.

The application by the Cartmel Peninsular Recreation Trust to create a new 17-space car park at Berners Pool was refused by South Lakeland District Council planning committee.

Phillip Fryer, who lives nearby, told councillors the application would relieve parking congestion on Kents Bank Road and Fernleigh Road, which had trebled since the pool opened.

He explained: “It is quite a distance to the centre from Berners Close car park and people being people don’t see why they should pay for parking and then pay to go swimming,” said Mr Fryer.

He said centre users also objected to paying because parking was provided free at Kendal and Ulverston.

Members were told by the trust that more than 50 per cent of users of the centre parked on local streets and that parking on-site and off-site had become problematic.

Planning officer Nick Hayhurst said there had been three letters of objection, one of comment, four in support and one of no objection.

He said the main concern related to access to and from the pool site which brought motorists on to a bend with “below standard visibility” on to Kents Bank Road which was considered dangerous.

The site was granted planning permission in November 2000 although parking was restricted to disabled spaces and servicing the centre due to the problems of access to and from the site.

Members were told that it was originally felt that people would use the public car park at Berners Close when using the pool.

Coun Paul Little said the trust should do more to encourage its users to use the public car park rather than applying to build a new one as there was no “justification” for it.

Coun Brendan Jameson said the pool should consider offering a discount for customers who produced a pay and display parking ticket.

Members agreed with the officer’s recommendation that the application be refused on highway grounds.